This web site is loaded with free scrapbooking graphics you can
print yourself-instantly by downloading from the web. Take a minute to read some tips
about saving a great deal of money on ink and about some good acid free papers.
This page is about paper and ink, if you are
having
printing problems, go to the FAQ's.

I used to refill my cartridges, but with the new even lower
prices on generic cartridges, it is hardly worth the time and mess involved.
If you think you 'should' not use generic cartridges
in your printer for fear of voiding your warranty, fear not & -Read This

I used to re-fill my own cartridges, but
now the generic ink cartridges are so cheap that I don't fool with
that messy task any more. But you can do it.
Many
people are afraid that refilling their own cartridges will void the printer warranty. Read
the fine print in your manual, most likely it will say they 'recommend you use the
printer's own brand'. Of course !, they make the big money on the ink. For more info
on this see the links at the bottom of this page. Here is an article I found in a Scrapbooking Newsgroup which is very
interesting I admit that it can be a messy job, I put a section of old newspaper
down first since I always have a ink-y spot or two, but they give you rubber gloves in the
kit & I get sooooo many prints for so cheap, I can deal with a bit of messy to do it.

Scrapbookers Tip: Printing brightly colored graphics in Economy or Draft Mode will result in lovely prints
in pastel versions of the same colors shown on the screen. Additionally, many people don't
know that they can set the printer on 'draft' or 'economy' to really save ink when
printing out things to read later or sheets of directions to follow. Look under 'settings'
or 'options'-->'advanced'-->a new box will open offering this ink saving mode.Laser
Printers:As far as all information I have run across, all
laser printing is fine for scrapbooking. Many of the scrapbook shops have color laser
printers to make copies for you. Often they will take more time to make corrections to get
accurate colors than a busy place like Kinkos. I find also that the big office supply
stores like Office Depot do a fine job. If the clerk seems uninterested in accuracy,, try
a different store. I have an Office Depot near me with a wonderful employee who will go to
great lengths to get the best possible copies.

Wide Format Printers for
12" x 12" paper
Epson and HP make reasonably priced models. Watch Epson's site for
factory reconditioned models at a big discount. Sometimes Office
Depot has oversized HP printers on big sale or rebate. They start at about $300 bucks, but you
might do better from Amazon, see search box
below,
I know Amazon had the best price on my last Canon inkjet..plus free shipping
at that time. Worth checking out.

I have had the best luck with Canon
printers, and always ck w/ my generic ink suppliers , above, to be
sure you will be able to buy inexpensive cartridges before you order
or buy the printer. Some models do and some don't have cheap generic
cartridges. Most HP's do NOT.

The manufacturers of inkjet inks tell us that the inks are
acid-free ! If you use acid-free papers in your printer, you will be able to print out
your own acid-free background papers, lettering, 'die cuts', frames, and accessories .
Office supply stores sell acid free inkjet paper now. If you don't live near an
office supply store, check the links shown below and order online. They are all very
reputable companies and we have had great customer service from them.

Most dye based inkjet inks are not waterproof, so be sure to
use protective covers for your finished pages & keep the 'in progress' projects away
from soft drinks & wet hands. You can spray a protective coating on your inkjet
print-outs if you wish, but under normal conditions that should not be necessary. I
sometimes spray things like return address labels (I live in a very rainy climate) with
quick-drying, Krylon Satin or Matte finish clear. It is non-yellowing (at least in my
experience) and smells terrible till dry, works great. But, better is Preserve Your Memories aerosol spray. Their
website has a little demo video www.precision-blue.com

There is quite a bit of discussion on message boards about
whether or not inkjet ink is 'permanent'. Most of the testing done & reported on
websites is concerned with inkjet printed photos hanging on a wall in daylight all day,
every day. This is not the same situation as pages in scrapbooks. Some manufacturers
ink tests out to be more light fast than others, just like some manufacturers give you
twice the number of copies per cartridge than others. Epson and HP now have 'archival
inks'. Check the Epson website for info because they are introducing new 'permanent' inks
currently for certain printers, like the C82 and others.

I have read many emotional posts about the pros and cons of
printing your own scrapbook graphics-but like a scrapbooker recently posted on one
list--"Get a grip Girls, Nothing made of PAPER lasts FOREVER". I believe this to
be a true statement, and helps me put things in perspective a bit. You will have to decide
for yourself.Specialty Inks:

Georgia-Pacific
Card Stock
Just found this paper at Sam's Club and it is acid-free nice and crisp (110 weight) and
makes great prints-plus it is cheap.

This Wausau Bright White
Premium Card Stock is Acid Free/Lignin Free and has a whiteness factor of "96".
They recommend it for scrapbooking on the package.

More scrapbook papers:

We recommend that you use a card/cover stock paper when
printing out ScrapbookScrapbook graphics to be cut out, like page
titles, etc. Ink jet
paper is rated for brightness/whiteness with numbers like 82,87,92... The higher the
number, the brighter your colors will look. The heavier weight paper will not buckle from
the moisture in the ink and is much easier to cut with sharp, clean edges, etc.

Four good papers that are acid-free, do a great job and are very
economical:

For Inkjet Printing of Photos:

Great White Matte Finish Photo
Paper. You can buy it other places too. It is made by International Paper. Sam's Club
and Costco usually have the Kodak Photo Paper or other national brands at much reduced
prices in large packs. Please note: The Royal-Brite brand that Sam's carries on occasion
is getting poor reviews.

Or for photos, use Shutterfly---read about it
here. Real handy--good prices, and they start you off with good free offers.

Make Your Own Stickers !

Avery
Office Products makes a new product that you can use in your ink jet printer to make your
own stickers. It is a whole sheet of white sticker paper. You just print and cut out your
stickers in any shape you want. It is 10 sheets to the pack.

REALLY GOOD--older article but good In Depth Discussion of how printers work
and what means what
when it comes to comparing models

Print out our web pages that show the small images
of the pages in each set, put them in a binder, and then when you need a
certain type image, you can flip thru the binder and see what set contains a
design you can use.

The program , Capture Express, will let you
open one of our sets and crop out shapes, sections, or any page etc...to use in
digital scrapbooking programs. www.captureexpress.com

"Mix club soda with milk of magnesia. (One recipe
recommends 2 tablespoons of milk of magnesia to 1 quart of club soda. Another recipe
recommends 1 tablet of milk of magnesia to 1/4 cup of club soda.)

Allow the solution to sit in the refrigerator overnight or at
least for eight hours before using.

"Pour the solution into a shallow pan that is large
enough for the clipping to lay flat and be immersed in the solution. Soak only one
clipping at a time. "Soak the clipping in the solution for 1 hour.

Carefully remove the clipping from the solution and place
between layers of plain white paper towels. Pat gently to help remove moisture. Remove the
clipping from the paper towels and leave it to dry on a clean, flat surface. Allow the
clipping to dry completely before moving it again."

This method is claimed to preserve the life of the newsprint
for 200 years.

Many scrapbookers prefer to
have a color copy made of newspaper clippings. The color laser copier preserves the look
of newspaper (unlike a black & white copier) and will not deteriorate
like newsprint
will. Have a look at Preserve Your Memories aerosol spray. The
website has a little demo video of a newspaper article that you can watch. www.precision-blue.com

Computer magazines taught
me that a computer called 'factory reconditioned' would have a better track record for a lower incidence of problems than a 'new' computer, never tested and right off the
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I have had great experiences with factory refurbished cameras I have bought
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way less.(I learned this in computer magazines)